Craig Ainsworth, a former Royal Marine and one-time bodyguard to David and Victoria Beckham, has sadly been found dead after reportedly going missing in Spain. His family confirmed the heartbreaking news on Saturday, April 5.
Craig’s mother, Sally, shared the update online, having earlier turned to social media for help locating her son after he had posted a farewell message on Facebook. In her emotional message, she wrote:
“Craig has been found. With the greatest sadness, the world has lost Craig. He served in Afghanistan and he had PTSD.”
Sally revealed that Craig had long struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a condition that can occur after highly stressful or traumatic experiences. According to the NHS, PTSD symptoms often include flashbacks, nightmares, and feelings of isolation, guilt, or irritability — all of which can severely affect day-to-day life.
Craig, believed to have been 40 years old, had protected several high-profile celebrities over the years, including Johnny Depp, Jennifer Lawrence, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. He worked for the Beckhams from 2013 to 2015 while the family lived in London’s Holland Park.
In a 2023 interview with the Mirror, Craig spoke fondly of the Beckhams following the release of their Netflix documentary:
“David was charming. Victoria kept to herself — she’d be with the kids or working. Their children are very well-behaved, which says a lot about how they’ve raised them under such intense public scrutiny.”
Craig had previously gone missing in the Barcelona or Alicante area. His mother had posted a plea on Facebook saying:
“He posted a last message on Facebook to say goodbye. Please, if you have seen him… the police are trying to track him. Please share this post if you have friends in Alicante or Barcelona.”
In his final Facebook post, Craig shared that he had been in immense emotional pain over the past four years. He spoke about how the Covid lockdowns had taken everything he had built and that he had lost many close friends and colleagues during that time.
Originally from Enfield in North London, Craig had been hired as the Beckhams’ bodyguard through the U.S.-based security firm Gavin de Becker. To land the role, he reportedly underwent extreme vetting — including enduring pepper spray directly to the eyes and fighting an MMA fighter in the dark.
Tributes have been pouring in since news of his passing emerged, as friends, former colleagues, and those who admired his service and character mourn the loss of a respected Marine, protector, and friend.